Beneficiaries of the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA) programme will be required to undergo mandatory business skills training before receiving the second tranche of government funding, Principal Secretary Susan Mang'eni has announced.
In a press statement issued by the Ministry of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development, Mang’eni said full attendance and participation in the upcoming classroom-based training will be a strict condition for accessing the second batch of Sh25,000 in start-up capital.
“Full attendance and participation in the second business skills training is a mandatory requirement for the beneficiaries to receive the disbursement of the second tranche of the start-up capital,” she said.
The second phase of the programme is scheduled to begin on April 20, 2026, and will be conducted at the constituency level across the country.
The training is designed to address gaps identified during the initial mentorship phase and strengthen the capacity of young entrepreneurs to grow sustainable businesses.
The ministry reported that the first mentorship programme, which concluded on April 8, was implemented across all 1,450 wards nationwide and involved more than 5,500 mentors.
The exercise included site visits, guided business engagements and peer learning sessions.
According to the statement, uptake among beneficiaries was notably high. “97% of beneficiaries who received the first tranche of start-up capital participated in the mentorship program,” the ministry said.
The government also indicated that the programme has already triggered widespread entrepreneurial activity.
“Notably, 99% of the beneficiaries engaged during the mentorship period have already established their businesses, with the remainder still in the process of starting their businesses,” the statement added.
However, officials noted that the majority of participants are first-time entrepreneurs, with “84% of mentees” having less than one year of business experience. This has informed the emphasis on continued training and structured support in the second phase.
“The training will address skill gaps identified during mentorship and enhance beneficiaries' ability to grow their businesses,” the ministry said.
Eligibility for the second phase will be limited to beneficiaries who participated in the initial mentorship programme, with invitations to be sent through official communication channels.
“The business skills training will be conducted at the constituency level across the country, and the beneficiaries will receive invitations through the official communication channels,” Mang’eni said.
The NYOTA initiative, implemented by the Ministry of Co-operatives and MSMEs Development, is part of the government’s broader strategy to promote youth entrepreneurship, job creation and economic empowerment.
Officials say the programme’s model—combining mentorship, training and phased financial support—is intended to improve accountability and increase the success rate of youth-led enterprises.
As the second phase rolls out, authorities have urged beneficiaries to comply fully with the requirements to avoid missing out on the additional funding, underscoring the government’s focus on linking financial support to capacity building.